Florida Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura. David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Panthers defenseman takes shot to the face vs. Maple Leafs

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 5/4/23

Florida Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura exited Game 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday after taking a puck to the face, leaving him a bloody mess.

Near the end of the second period, a William Nylander wrister went wide of the Panthers' cage, making direct contact with Mahura's face at eye level as he circled the back of the net in pursuit of Maple Leafs' forward Alex Kerfoot.

Josh Mahura takes a puck off the face pic.twitter.com/4tCWZuk1jh
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) May 5, 2023

Aside from Mahura, Kerfoot seemed to be the only person on the ice to realize the gruesome injury, tapping his stick on the ice to get the referee's attention.

Thankfully for Mahura, his visor took the brunt of the impact. Still, he was understandably shaken and left a puddle of blood behind him as he exited the ice. The frightening scene makes it hard to imagine the damage done if Mahura played during a time when visors were optional for players.

The recent scare with Mahura is the latest such incident during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last month, Morgan Barron of the Winnipeg Jets took a skate to the face against the Vegas Golden Knights, which required 75 stitches.

Morgan Barron has gone down the tunnel after suffering a cut to his face from the skate of Laurent Brossoit during a scramble in front of the net. pic.twitter.com/MwXUMFMIbX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2023

Because he's a hockey player, Barron ultimately returned to the game after getting stitched up. The Panthers hope Mahura can make a similar recovery and avoid missing time as the team attempts to get past the Leafs and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1996.

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